Pasco’s First Magnet School To Open In Land O’ Lakes This Fall

Construction has been underway at the new Sanders Memorial STEAM magnet school, the first of its kind in Pasco County. The school will have a special focus on science, technology, engineering, art and math(STEAM) and is scheduled to open for the 2015-2016 school year, beginning in August. So far, over 1400 applications have been submitted for the new Sanders, a school that’s being built to house762 students from kindergarten through the fifth grade.

Not only will the curriculum at Sanders have a distinct educational focal point, but the actual building design itself hopes to cultivate a collaborative learning experience for the kiddos and staff alike. Open floorplans and oversized workstations will fill out the common areas allowing students and teachers to work together on projects and experiments with classrooms around the perimeter. Every student will have the opportunity to use a technology device of some kind and the buildings will all have wireless access. While the same learning standards will still be in place, this school will take a different approach to learning that will take advantage of the collaborative space and STEAM focus.

So which students will be selected for the final enrollment roster? A weighted lottery system will determine which students are accepted, with priority given to those from nearby Connerton and Oakstead, whose school populations are currently beyond capacity. Given the high volume of applications that have already been received before the January 15th deadline, it seems that Pasco residents look forward to this new magnet school.

Jason Petry has been appointed as the principal of Sanders Memorial, with teachers and staff being hired by early summer. Sanders Memorial STEAM Magnet School is located at 5126 School Rd. in Land O’ Lakes.Click here for more information about this new program.

Photo Courtesy of The Laker / Lutz News